Toward the Reconstruction of a Sacred Landscape of the Judean Highlands

At least a dozen biblical toponyms for sites and landscape features in ancient Judah’s highlands bear divine name elements that were most common during the Middle and Late Bronze Ages. In light of archaeological evidence from many of these sites, it is suggested that they were first settled as part of a settlement influx in the highlands during the Middle Bronze Age (ca. 2000–1550 BCE), following a reemergence of urbanism and a return of economic development that occurred under Amorite aegis. The cultic orientation of these sites may be suggested by reference to ritual traditions at Mari during the Middle Bronze Age but especially Ugarit during the Late Bronze Age. Such evidence may also serve to elucidate the various enduring cultic associations that persisted in connection with these locations during the Iron Age, as preserved in various biblical traditions.

A Note on the Alleged Egyptian Etymology of Sabaoth

This note provides a detailed criticism of the etymology relating the divine name or title ṣĕbā’ôt in Hebrew with Egyptian ḏbȝt/ḏbȝty, as initially proposed by M. Görg and S. Kreuzer.

The Translation of יהוה‎ in Dholuo: Overview and History

The rendering of the divine name יהוה‎ is one of the most debated issues in Bible translation. This is also the case in translation of the Bible into the Dholuo language of Kenya and Tanzania. Different solutions have been proffered in different Dholuo versions, but without a clear rationale. This raises important questions. To what extent do versions used as sources influence translation choice? Should traditional religion and culture provide guidance in the search for a solution? This study analyses renderings of יהוה‎ in existing Dholuo versions against the background of the history of church and mission in the Dholuo context.

Theology as an Icon: Phenomenological Interpretation of the Greak Fathers by Jean-Luc Marion

The paper analysesinterpretations of the Church Fathers by Jean-Luc Marion, a leading figure of the French Phenomenology. For Marion, the theological dis­course should function as an icon: the task of theology is to make God manifest as invisible and inaccessible. According to Marion, Areopagite’s theology is not, properly speaking, “apophatic” or “negative”, because the aim of the theological discourse is not to produce either positive or negative statements concerning God; indeed, such a discourse would remain a captive of onto-theology and would function as an idol. Areopagite does not only name God, he praises divine names in prayer. This allows Marion to interpret Areopagite's theology as a per­formative speech act where praise acts by transforming the speaker. This per­formativity, which is proper to the theological discourse, is inseparable from a particular kind of phenomenalisation of God, although the mode of this phe­nomenalisation differs from that of the apophantic discourse. Divine names do not describe God, but praise Him as the Requisite, making the speaker the one who requires. In later works, Marion interprets divine names as “saturated phe­nomena”. The theologian cannot be described as an agent of phenomenalisation of the Revelation, even though he remains a receiver and a medium of this phe­nomenalisation, thus acquiring the status of its witness, the status of a “gifted one” (l’adonné): receiving his very self from what is made manifest in this phe­nomenalisation. The divine name appeals to the speaker, who makes this calling manifest in his naming reply. The Revelation is revealed to the theologian, and hereby the Revelation reveals the theologian himself.

The symbolism of the ring in the play by N.S. Gumilyov “Child of Allah”

The article is devoted to the study of the symbolic meaning of the image of the ring in the play by N.S. Gumilyov “Child of Allah”. The cultural semantics of “Solomon’s ring”, its rootedness in the traditions of the East, are traced. It is concluded that the ring in the play serves as a connecting link between the divine name and poetic inspiration. The article first pointed to a number of uses of the ring in Ancient Iran. Such a diverse semiotics of the ring found its refraction in the play N.S. Gumilyov “The Child of Allah”. In this play, the ring plays a key role. The ring defines the world poles of good and evil. Performed by Oriental motifs, Gumilyov’s play at the same time does not repeat or develop any of the semantic definitions of the ring mentioned in the article. In the article we turn to the mysterious meaning of the ring in this work. Thus, the ring in the play “the Child of Allah” has an Association with the magic rings of Eastern fairy tales.